


Leaves From The Vine

by Tashilover



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Blood Bending Body Horror, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-06-22 01:12:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15570468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tashilover/pseuds/Tashilover
Summary: No matter how much androids spoke of their individualism, they were unable to bend.Then one day, Connor made a ripple in water.





	1. Chapter 1

In his programming Connor held over three dozen fighting styles, including all four bending basic stances and katas, as well as swamp, metal and lava bending. He knew all pressure points to cut off chi, he knew breathing techniques, and he had saved in his memory every known spirit in Detroit.

He knew so much yet he had so little.

Detective Reed's bending was sloppy. Fire bending demanded slow, controlled stances, yet he struck out like he kept expecting to break through a wall. His leg work was unbalanced and his attention easily derailed. Despite all of this, he was easily one of the most powerful fire benders Connor has ever met.

Due to his bad leg, Captain Fowler rarely earth bend. In his youth he was a threat to be reckoned with, throwing around boulders like nothing. Nowadays he spent his time playing with his zen garden, creating elaborate designs in the dirt.

No matter how much Connor knew, no matter how much he practiced, he was not a bender. No android was. No android could cross into the spirit realm, not physically or mentally. Anti-android groups used this to solidify their argument. Only someone truly alive can weld the powers given to them by the ancient World Turtles. Only humans were allowed to speak to spirits. No matter how much androids touted their status as individuals, they will never bend because they had no soul.

Though Connor never said it out loud, he agreed with them.


	2. Chapter 2

There were quite a number of facts Connor knew about Hank before meeting him face-to-face. He knew Hank was one of twenty-seven air benders in Detroit. When Hank was first promoted to Lieutenant, his fellow officers rallied against him. They believed he was only chosen through affirmative action rather than skill. Their opinions changed when an anti-bender threw a poisonous smoke bomb into the precinct and Hank bended the smoke away, saving everyone.

Connor knew Hank still held the record of the most eaten hotdogs At the office's summer gathering. Connor watched the video of Hank inhaling fourteen hotdogs in under five minutes and then downing two large cups of beer. It was both impressive and horribly disgusting.

Connor also knew on the day Cole died, Hank lost his ability to air bend.

According to the doctors, his chi was mentally blocked. At Captain Fowler's insistence Hank has seen therapists and water healers, but none of it helped. To this day he has yet to summon a single gust of wind.

 

 

 

 

There was a spirit in the neighborhood.

Connor spotted her immediately as she quietly floated down the street aimlessly. She looked like a silk ribbon blowing in the wind. Connor was tempted to follow, but his hands were full with groceries for tonight's dinner. If he placed the bags down, insects would surely swarm. So he stopped and watched, wondering why she was here.

The spirit eventually disappeared over a fence. Connor waited another minute, hoping she'll pop back up. When she didn't, Connor resumed his walk.

What a rare sight. Spirits didn't frequently visit common human neighborhoods. It could be a sign of things to come or simple coincidence. Either way, Connor was eager to get home to tell Hank. He'd probably know why.

He'd deny it, of course. Not all air benders were naturally spiritual, and Hank's idea of meditating was knocking back a Budweiser and combining it with a "special" brownie. (When Connor gasped, surprised Hank would indulge in drugs despite his history in narcotics, Hank swore at him. "You idiot, not that type of special brownie. I meant the extra-fudge, peanut-filled delight from the bakery. It gives me a sugar high like no other.")

Connor was only a few houses down from home when he noticed the front door opening and three people walking out. Two men, one woman, all dressed in blue and white robes with necklaces declaring their elemental origin.

White Lotus agents.

Connor dropped his bags. He rushed forward, his LED turning red as he processed how to take down three bending masters. He jumped the fence, twisted, and landed in front of them, catching them by surprise.

"What the hell-?" One of them muttered.

Connor struck out, going after the earth bender first. He jabbed his fingers into several senstive spots, blocking his chi. The possible metal bender now out of commision, Connor kicked him to the side, then ducked down to avoid the biting flame from the fire bender. He raised up, intending to break the bender's arm when a voice rang out.

"Connor! What the fuck is going on?"

Hank was standing in his doorway, perfectly fine, staring at the battle with his mouth opened.

"Hank!" Connor said, straigtening up. "You're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay! What are you doing?"

"I... I saw three benders exiting our home. I assumed the worst. My apologies, I think I might've overacted."

"That's an understatement." From the side the earth bender groaned. He gingerly got up and cupped his limp, chi-blocked arm. "Christ, Hank, I know you don't like our visits, but you didn't have to sic your android on us."

"Visits?" Connor repeated. He's never seen White Lotus agents at the house till now.

"It's an air bender thing," Hank explained. "These schmucks like to keep tabs on the growing air bender population, make sure they don't die out like they nearly did two hundred years ago. I keep telling them they're wasting their time on me. I haven't air bended in years."

"It could come back," said the water bender.

Hank woefully shook his head. "Probably not."

 

 

 

 

The White Lotus agents left. As they did, they complained under their breath how easily they were taken down by a single android.

Once inside the house with the door closed, Hank confronted Connor in the kitchen. "Connor, what the fuck was that?"

"I told you. I misinterpreted the situation."

"You never misinterpet the situation. That was something else."

"I'm sorry Hank, but it's not a common sight to see three bending masters, let alone three White Lotus agents, leave the house. And besides-"

Connor gave him a pointed look.

"-you don't have many friends."

"Wow, low blow, asshole."

"You didn't tell me the White Lotus keeps tabs on air benders."

Hank shrugged. "It's not something we're supposed to advertise. There are still air benders who refuse to come out of hiding, fearing someone will try to finish the job the fire benders started. The White Lotus try to help air benders when they can. They're the ones who paid for the water healers, though fat luck that helped."

"I see..."

"Are you sure that's all that's bothering you? I've never seen you so... panicked before."

Connor considered telling Hank the truth.

The last known living Avatar was a young woman named Malinda Hopkins. She was only thirty-two when one of her White Lotus agents, in a fit of jealous rage, killed her. This single incident sparked a world wide outrage, and many White Lotus agents dropped out entirely, nearly destroying the entire organization. Only a small few continued on their work, though now their once-sacred title was tainted with the blood of the Avatar.

Malinda Hopkins died on September 6th, 1985. The same day Hank was born.

 _I know you're the Avatar,_ Connor didn't say.

"No, I'm fine."


	3. Chapter 3

Connor's suspicions first rose during one warm afternoon last year.

One of the first steps towards recovery was breathing new life into the environment. Hank didn't look forward to spending his days off cleaning. He eventually relented and began ridding old clothes. He moved on to rearranging his furniture, giving his walls a new coat of paint, and finally putting together a dresser drawer he bought from Ikea two years ago. When Connor suggested tackling the attic next, Hank hesitated.

"Uh... I haven't been up there in years," Hank said. "It's probably full of spiders. I'm not going up there."

Connor grinned. "You're willing to hunt down murderers and thugs, but spiders scare you?"

"You can go up first then, if you're so brave. Tell me if the coast is clear."

With flashlight in hand, Connor climbed the ladder into the attic. Dust fluttered down with every step.

As predicted there were boxes piled everywhere. Some were labeled, the majority were not. Connor opened a few. Despite they've not been touched in years, the contents have gone unmolested by spiders and rats. There were clothes, Halloween decorations, old books and-

The flashlight's beam caught something sparkling. Did Hank have jewelry tucked away up here? The holes in his ears suggested he wore earrings back in his youth. Connor reached into the box and pulled the sparkling stone out.

It wasn't earrings. It was a Water Tribe wedding necklace.

Connor stared at the necklace, befuddled. Hank's ex-wife had roots in the Fire Nation, and Hank himself was more associated with the Earth Kingdom. Giving engagement necklaces had become a popular trend among non-Water Tribe people over the years, but the majority preferred rings. So why did Hank...?

The symbol etched on the blue agate was familiar. Curious, Connor scanned the necklace. He gasped.

In his hand, he held the wedding necklace _Avatar Aang_ gave to his wife, Master Katara.

Connor scanned it again, just to be sure.

"What the fuck," he whispered to himself. _Why did Hank have this?_ Where did he get it? According to the internet, the necklace was kept in the possession of the White Lotus. People speculated the White Lotus used the necklace to test future Avatars. Others suggested the necklace was sold on the black market. Either way, that still didn't explain why Hank, an air bender who lived a thousand miles away from Republic City, had in his possession a historical item in his attic.

"About time you came back down," Hank said as Connor descended the staircase. "So, are there spiders the size of my head up there?"

Connor held up the necklace.

Hank's grin melted off his face. "Oh... I forgot I had that."

"Hank, I can't even begin to comprehend how or why you-"

"Air bender, remember?" Hank snatched the necklace out of Connor's hands. Connor cringed as he watched Hank shove the necklace into his pant's pocket. "Avatar Aang passed down a lot of his personal items to future air benders. I just happened to get his necklace."

"But... Avatar Aang's descendants still live. And you don't exactly follow Air Nomad's lifestyles."

"Hey, I didn't ask for it. But you have a point. I should give this back to them."

That was the end of the conversation. A few days later Hank sent off a package addressed to Republic City.

 

 

 

 

Connor's suspicion rose more a few months later.

It was on a night of celebration. Hank and Connor had finished a harrowing case that took nearly three weeks of non-stop work. By the end of it, they made over twenty arrests, including three blood benders, solved two murders, and confiscated over forty million dollars in drugs. It was such an impressive haul, even Reed had walked over and congratulated them.

Connor spent that night celebrating with Hank, feeling happier than he's ever been.

On the drive home, Hank slept deeply in the passenger seat. He was curled in on himself, snoring like a hibernating bear. The streets were empty and quiet. Connor had long since turned off the radio, letting the soft hum of the engine act as Hank's lullaby.

Connor was only a few minutes away from the house when suddenly Hank shot up in his seat, his eyes blinking wildly.

"Hank?" Connor said. "Are you okay?"

"Pull over," Hank said.

"Are you sick?"

"Pull over! Now!"

A quick scan revealed Hank was not about to vomit, but Connor did as he was told. He jerked the car to the curb, the tires squealing. Hank didn't bother to wait till the car was at a full stop and kicked the passenger door opened, throwing himself out.

"Hank!"

Hank stumbled into the dark, clumsily climbed over the guard rail and ran blind into the field beyond.

"Damn!" Connor cursed. He slammed the car into park, threw off his seat belt and swiftly followed Hank. Was Hank sick? Was he so drunk he was hallucinating?

The man didn't run far. Connor found him, kneeling in the tall grass, cradling something.

"Hank..." Connor came around to see.

It was a spirit. She was a small creature, barely bigger than a cat. She was also gravely injured. A large portion of her side was missing.

"I'm scared..." said the spirit in a small, child-like voice.

"I'm here," Hank said. He held her close, gently stroking the top of her head. "I'm not going anywhere."

Connor didn't know what to do, what to say. There wasn't a hospital for spirits. The majority of spiritual leaders in Detroit have outright refused to answer calls from androids. Even if Connor had all those resources on hand, he doubted it would help; the spirit was dying. The glow of her body dimmed as the seconds ticked down.

"I'm here," said Hank again. "I'm here."

With one last exhale of breath, the spirit passed. She closed her eyes and gradually faded away like she never existed.

Hank dropped his arms. He sighed and ran a tired hand over his face.

"Hank," Connor started. "How did you know she was...?"

"I heard her crying out for help." Hank said. "She was hit by a car, dragged herself over here. She didn't want to be alone."

"You were asleep. How...?"

"I just did."

Hank had stated multiple times he was not a spiritual man. He never meditated, never met with other spiritual leaders. Despite all of this, an invisible cry for help cut through his unconsciousness, waking him. He didn't hesitate to pull that spirit close to him, to soothe her in her last moments.

Hank didn't sleep for the rest of the night. He spent the hours watching I Love Lucy reruns on television while Connor made him tea.

 

 

 

 

The confirmation came only a few weeks later.

The sun was just barely rising over the horizon, casting a golden glow to the sky. The grass in Hank's backyard was wet with dew, and the only noises to be heard were the chirping of hungry birds. Connor loved this time of day. It was the only time when the world was quiet enough. That was something Connor learned after becoming a Deviant: he preferred the silence. He enjoyed his time when he could sit and meditate, when his ears weren't bombarded with constant activity.

Hank was the complete opposite. He always had the television or radio on. Even when he went to bed, he'd have video play on his phone.

Connor stepped out onto the grass. His bare feet and the bottom cuffs of his pants were drenched by dew. Humans didn't like the feel of wet clothes sticking to them, but Connor didn't mind. The cool sensation was nice.

Like humans, Connor had to do a certain amount of movement each day to keep his joints from rusting. He could do basic calisthenics; he chose to do the graceful movements of water bending instead.

Connor got into a stance. He began.

As an android, Connor knew his movements were stiff. The concept of relaxation was foreign to him. He'd no need to slouch or lay his head in his palm when he was bored. But as he followed the fluid movements of Tai Chi, his body was like water itself. He went from one kata to the next without stopping, changing direction as easily as a stream.

Three minutes into his workout, Connor heard the sliding door behind him open. A moment later Sumo was trotting past him, looking for a place to pee.

"Water bending, huh?" Hank muttered, still half-asleep.

Connor dropped his stance. He turned to look at him. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Nah, Sumo did. He needed to pee. I didn't know you did stuff like this."

"I have to. It keeps me loose."

"Hmm... Y'know, I haven't done stuff like this in... years. Do you mind if I join you?"

Excitement spiked through Connor. Other benders wouldn't dare train with an android. This was a first for him.

"Please," said Connor. He made room for Hank. "I would love for you to join me."

Hank nodded his thanks and moved onto the grass, grimacing lightly at the wetness.

"Ugh, feels gross," he complained. "Uh... Water bending, right? Where were you?"

Connor moved back into his previous stance. "Here."

Hank followed. Understandably after years of little to no practice, his stance was loose and unbalanced. Connor said nothing.

"Alright," said Hank. "Ready when you are."

Connor started slow, allowing Hank to read his movements and follow easily. Hank, who was once a master of his own element, moved more like his joints were frozen. He jerked with every weight change, his elbows stuck out too much, and it looked like he didn't know what to do with his hands.

It took a few minutes for the muscle memory to come back to him. Second by second he moved easier, his brow furrowing in concentration as he continued to follow Connor.

Beneath their feet, the droplets of dew danced with them.

Connor saw this and his LED flashed yellow and red rapidly.

He didn't pause, he didn't shout in glee or shock. He continued as if there wasn't a beautiful water ballet taking place only an inch off the ground. His mind was reeling, questions bursting in his mainframe like fireworks. _How was this possible? How was this possible? How was this possible?_ There was the obvious answer, but that seemed too improbable as well. Hank was born on the same day the last Avatar died, yes, but so did over ten thousand other people in the United States. As far as Connor knew, Hank has never displayed any other traits to point to him as the Avatar. It could all just be coincidental.

Yet here Hank was, _bending water._ What other explanation could there be?

Hank suddenly dropped his stance. Immediately all the droplets stopped as well.

"Now I have to pee..." he muttered, turning back to the house. "Don't wait on me. Keep going if you want to."

Connor's LED continued to swirl in colors. He wanted to call out to Hank, to ask him why he kept his status a secret, why he's never told anyone before. It couldn't be he didn't know. Avatars were always discovered before the age of eighteen. Every single Avatar in Connor's database confirmed this. There had to be a good reason.

Until then, Connor vowed he would keep Hank safe; from evil spirits, from the White Lotus themselves if he had to.

Connor smiled. "Thank you, Hank. Would you like to join me again tomorrow morning?"

"Bah," Hank huffed. "Don't hold your breath."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw: Body horror

By now Connor has seen his fair share of bender-related deaths. He's seen corpses reduced to nothing but charred skeletons. He's seen humans and android smashed between buildings like they insects beneath a boot. He's seen victims of drowning in the middle of dry, empty streets. Sometimes he's seen victims of all three, which was a horrifying hot summer day last year.

Nothing was compared to what he saw today.

The blood vessels in the victims arms and legs had burst, leaving bruises like lightening scars on their skin. Their limbs were distorted, bending backwards at impossible angles. Their fingers were pointing in different directions, and their eyes had rolled to the back of their head, leaving only the whites. These poor bastards spent their last moments screaming in horror.

"Blood benders," Hank said, shaking his head. "Goddamn..."

All three victims were of the homeless population, leaving them with little to identify. Even with Connor scanning their fingerprints, nothing came up. It felt wrong not to have a name attached to the person. It was like they never existed.

"I have brought up the names of every blood bender in the city," Connor told Hank. "I'll cross-reference on those with a criminal history-"

"Was it even a full moon last night?"

Connor blinked. "No, it wasn't."

"Then this was not your average blood bender. You have to be _born_ with the ability to blood bend without a full moon."

"Then whoever did this won't be in the database."

"Look anyways, but I won't be surprised if nothing pops up. We have to tread carefully. If word gets out among the Triads there's a powerful blood bender on the streets, they'll tear up the city trying to recruit them."

"I understand. I'll do my best to be discreet and-"

He stopped in mid-sentence. His LED blinked yellow rapidly.

"Connor?" Hank said. "You okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine. I just got a message from Markus. He's requesting my presence immediately at New Jericho."

"Is something the matter?"

"He doesn't want to say. Hank..."

"Go. It's not every day you get an important message from the android leader."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: mild android body horror

North's anger was like a burning candle. At times it burned so brightly it could light the whole room. Others times it was dim, but still very much alive, ready to erupt when presented with the right conditions. Markus said it was passion that drove her. Connor differed.

So when Connor walked into the living room of Carl's mansion only to see North sitting on the floor, her head in her hands, he knew something was very, very wrong.

"I'm glad you're here," Marcus said, closing the door behind him. He locked it. "I didn't know who to call, but you seem to be the best bet."

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Nothing's wrong, but... North, it's probably best if you show him."

North huffed. Muffled under her hands, she said, "Don't freak out."

Slowly she lifted her head, brushing her long hair back.

 _"Spirits,"_ Connor cursed, coming to her and kneeling down. "Who attacked you?"

The entire left side of North's face had been completely burned away. The fire had taken half of her nose, her eye, leaving nothing more than the charred remains of her exoskeleton. This wasn't something she could spray away, she would need a full complete facial reconstruction.

North waved off his concern. "Mmm'fine. Simon has gone out to get supplies. That's not important."

"Not important!"

"Nobody did this to her," Markus said. "North firebended this morning."

Connor's processor skipped a second. He turned to Markus, his mouth gaping. "What? That's... that's impossible."

"Oh, it's possible," North said. "Trust me, we all replayed the visual over and over. I firebended."

She held out her hand to him.

Connor hesitated to take it. He didn't believe North and Markus would lie to him. But if what they're saying was true, then this was going to change Connor's entire world. This was going to change _everyone's_ world. Was he ready to handle that?

North rolled her one eye and grabbed his hand.

Immediately memories washed over him. He was North, North was him, they were one and the same. It was always a little strange to see the world through the eyes of a female android. They were always designed to be shorter, lighter, and no matter what situation they were in, they always observed the world around them with more detail than their male counterparts. They were always the first to deviate as well.

North was in the bathroom at the time, washing her hands. She'd been painting with Markus. Her knuckles and fingertips were stained blue, and she had a scrubbing brush in hand, trying to scrape the paint off. A simple, normal scene. Nothing special about it.

It wasn't until North thought back to the painting session with Markus, grinning in self-satisfaction. Suddenly Connor was awash with new feelings, and his artificial heart began beating faster.

Oh, what they were doing earlier was _not_ painting. It started as a painting lesson and then quickly became something else.

North continued washing her hands, feeling like a school girl, giddy and weak at the knees. She thought back to Markus's kisses on her lips, on her shoulders, on her-

Steam rose up from the sink. North startled out of her thoughts, believing she'd left the hot water on too long. She lifted her hands, and steam continued to rise. The water on her hands evaporated before her very eyes.

"What the hell...?"

There was a flash, and a burst of flame erupted out of her palms, striking her full in the face. She screamed, and the video abruptly cut out.

North pulled away. She held up her palm, showing off her unmarked flesh. "I did not malfunction. I firebended."

Despite seeing it, Connor got up and moved away from her, shaking his head. "No. That's impossible."

"You saw what we saw," Markus said. "There is no other explanation-"

"The lion turtles only gave bending to the humans. That is truth."

"New airbenders came into the world after Avatar Korra opened the spirit portal. Why is it so farfetched we androids could bend eventually as well?"

"We are not flesh and blood-"

 _"We are alive!"_ Markus bellowed out, his voice echoing off the walls.

Connor flinched.

"We are alive," Markus repeated in a softer, gentler tone. "My friend, I did not ask you to come over so we can debate. This is real, it's happening, and it's only a matter of time before others begin showing their bending abilities as well."

Connor curled his fists at his side. He couldn't deny it, no matter how hard it was to believe.

"What do you need me to do?" Connor asked.

"Humans can barely tolerate us now," said North. "Once they realize we can bend, there will be chaos in the street. Violence."

"We need training," said Markus. "We need support."

 _You need the Avatar,_ Connor thought. He's never told anyone of who Hank was, not even to Markus. Until Hank could learn to bend again, until Hank himself admitted he was the Avatar, Connor had no right to demand anything from him.

"I think I got it now," said North. She snapped her fingers, and a small flame bloomed at the tip.

Connor looked on in awe.

 

 

 

 

 

Connor left the mansion a few hours later. Markus's plan for now was to get in contact with several bending masters who has shown empathy towards androids and gain their support. After that, it was only a waiting game until more and more androids emerged.

Connor felt like his insides were scooped out and replaced with cardboard copies. He clutched his midsection, the truth of it all bearing down and threatening to crush him under its weight.

Androids could bend now. Androids could bend now. _Androids could bend now._

It was as if Markus told Connor the moon was made of cheese. Why now? As far as Connor knew, Hank wasn't running around opening new spirit portals. There's been nothing in the news that could attribute to this sudden change. Was this just a natural occurrence? The next step in evolution?

Connor had to know. He nearly ran to the closest local park, found a quiet, isolated spot, got into position, and tried to bend.

Like North, he tried to firebend. Nothing happened.

He then tried to earthbend. When none of the pebbles down by his feet moved, he tried to blow them away. Nothing.

Licking his lips, Connor moved onto a waterbending pose. Even before he deviated, he thought waterbending to be the most elegant, the most beautiful of all the elements. Waterbenders could go anywhere in the world. They were healers, life savers. Connor was fascinated with them, and if he had a choice, he would want to bend water above all other elements.

Connor shifted his weight, determined to make the water puddle in front of him move under his command. He thrust his arms out, his will extended as far as he could make it go. Bend, bend, BEND!

The water was calm. There was not even a ripple.

Connor dropped his arms. He sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love waterbending and is my choice if I ever lived in the avatar world. :3


	6. Chapter 6

"Interesting."

Connor frowned at the blasé response. "You don't seem surprised."

"Eh, I feel like this was bound to happen," said Hank. He shivered in the cold Detroit air as they continued to stand in line for food. If Hank still had his bending abilities, he could simply regulate his inner temperature. "Look back into the history of the world, and you see it time and time again. Nature has a way of equalizing itself. First with the airbenders, and now the androids."

"I see..."

Hank gave him a look. "I thought you'd be ecstatic. This will help bring android rights into the next century."

"I am happy for my fellow androids. It's just..." Connor turned his head away in shame. He should be ecstatic for North. Bending was a gift from the gods themselves, and it was cold hard proof androids were just as valid as humans. This was a win, yet all Connor could feel was bitterness in his heart.

"Jealous?" Hank asked.

Connor bristled. "No."

"It's fine if you are. You're not the first person in the world to feel jilted they didn't get bending abilities. With or without bending, you're still a great detective."

Comforting words from the Avatar. At least Connor should find them comforting. He had no need for self-pity. He was and still is the newest model of android in the world. His intelligence, strength, and processing power out exceeded every android in the city. He should be proud of his accomplishments.

And yet. He _wants_.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alex Cooper was a short man, but he was so thick with muscle, the cuffs on his wrists could barely fit him. He sat chained at the table with a deep scowl on his face, staring daggers at the two-way mirror. This man was no average street punk. He was a waterbending master and one of the few known bloodbenders in Detroit. Connor watched from behind the two-way mirror as Hank entered the room.

Immediately Cooper began yelling.

"This is discrimination!" He cried out. "I did nothing wrong! Police brutality!"

"Settle down, you ass," Hank said, sitting down in front of him. "You've been recorded since the moment you were brought in; no one's touched you, so you can drop the act."

Cooper glared at him. "I'm pretty sure being brought in on trumped-up charges is still discrimination. Really? I needed to be handcuffed for a few unpaid parking tickets?"

"You're handcuffed cause of your bloodbending history. This is standard procedure."

"Uh, last I checked, it's two in the afternoon. No full moon. Besides, I haven't bloodbended in ten years."

"Oh yeah? Then you tell me, who did this?"

Hank pulled out the photos of the victims and laid them out on the table for him to see.

Cooper flinched. "Man, what the hell? I didn't do this shit."

"Oh? Then I must be mistaken. I guess your other victims got me confused."

Hank then laid out a set of new photos. These showed men in hospital beds, every inch of their skin covered in dark purple bruises. Their lips looked like an overblown balloon, their fingernails had turned black and threatening to fall off entirely, and their eyes were swollen shut.

At least Cooper had the decency to look uncomfortable. Still, he huffed and said, "I didn't kill them. Sure, they spent a few days recovering-"

"Dennis Rollins spent three months in the hospital!"

"-but I didn't kill them. _I didn't kill them_. I have a kid now. You think I would risk going to jail for... who are these new chumps? Homeless people? Fuck, I aint' got nothing against homeless folk! Whoever did this is a sick fuck, and the fact you're trying to pin this on me while the actual killer is out there is bullshit. I ain't going to be your scapegoat, bitch!"

 

 

 

 

 

"This guy is an asshole," Hank said once Cooper was led away. "But I believe him. The man has no motive, no connection to the victims, and he has too much to lose. This has to be a bender we haven't met before."

Connor chewed his bottom lip. It was a bad habit he'd picked up after emulating it from a different officer. He didn't know why he did it, he just liked it.

"Hank... we should probably consider the possibility an android did this."

"Is that a smart thing to do?"

"No," said Connor. "If we begin questioning androids about bending abilities, especially at this early stage, we could cause a riot. Marcus won't be happy we're accusing androids when there's at least a dozen humans who are more likely to have done this... and lastly, we don't have proof. Taking into account Occam's razor... an android didn't do this."

"That sounds pretty accurate. Yet I can see you're hesitant. Why?"

Connor's mouth twisted. "Because... Hank, if you got a new toy for Christmas, what would you do with it?"

"I'd play with it. Duh."

"Exactly. If a person suddenly learned how to bend, how long do you think it would take them to test their abilities? Look at Zaheer of the Red Lotus. He got airbending and suddenly he became one of the most dangerous men in the world. He was an amateur bender, yet he nearly killed the Avatar. If an android... if someone like me, who has every bending technique, every kata, every chi-blocking move in their database, got the ability to bend... how dangerous would that make me?"

"You'd be the Terminator."

"It's because of this is why I believe our perp is an android. This is someone who believed they'll never get to bend. Now that they're blessed with this ability... wouldn't you play with it? See how far it takes you?"

"I think we're forgetting one major key factor here," Hank said. "Connor, you are the most advance android in the world. There is no one like you. Whoever did this has to be an older model. And you don't learn bloodbending over night. That shit takes time, it takes practice... there has to be evidence of this android bending before. They start small. Animals, plants, bugs. Let's look into any unusual increase in animal death and go from there."

Connor bit his lip again, considering his next question. "If... we do find our bloodbender... do you think it's enough to warrant a visit from the Avatar?"

For a split second, Hank looked stricken. His face tightened, then said, "We clean up our own shit."


End file.
